Theory - the way of the Miniature Painter

posted by roman, jarhead, kong

Aloa.

This time there goes an article which is for sure a bit different. I call it theory but in this case it is just some blabla of theory maybe. Written somewhere in the last 2 year - here goes the translation... with music if you like :)

The way of the miniature painter

Konnichiwah [Konitschiewaahh],

the reader shall be welcomed. This article will tell you a about a glorious path, a way with ups and downs, terrific moments and horrible experiences. It is the way with the sword, if your sword is made of dead red martens and you call it baby... the way of the miniature painter.

Don't take me too serious in this article. It is meant for those who are new to the hobby and i guess the old roughnecks will simple jiggle about it. I hope you enjoy...

Painting Motivation

A sword only can be handled when the will to hold it in your hand comes from the right spot in your heart. This place is some kind of safe harbour, a place that calms and brings you joy. Miniature painting is often addicted of your muse and for example mine really often makes fun with me. Enjoy your hobby you have chosen, paint whenever the muse is with you. Enjoy swinging your sword and learn by doing so. You will see that it sometimes feels like standing in the heat on blood and sand while painting or working on a project, but those are only the moments when your muse is not within your heart. Do something else instead, like playing chess or hunting cherries, whatever you like. I mostly try to figure out how to sit like a gorilla in these hours without my muse. I know that is not that cool but it works for me. You don't know something else than miniature painting? Then you are on the right track of motivation :) - I got a simple sketch to show you what i mean:

How to learn Miniature painting

First of all be motivated to learn. Painting Miniatures is like training your muscles. First you are a flat chicken but when training hard and let experience guide you on your path you can become legend. At least some think so that this could happen. You won't become legend but your muscles can grow big due fun and training. How can i train myself some of you might ask now? Training means doing, painting and painting, nothing else. Only with finished miniatures by your own hand you learn. Keep that in mind that training is very important. If you do it with joy things will be much easier to learn and the improvement comes from the simple fact to enjoy painting miniatures. Sure there are a lot of other things that can influance your training and there will be tears and blood and sand thing, but in the end it is only you who will gain experience at your workbench. I got a simple sketch to that:

What can influance my painting style and where can i learn from others

- Enjoying the fun of painting miniatures with friends is one of the big keys in this matter. First it strengthens your heart and the muse will send good fortune to you and your friends projects. You can chat on what you do at the moment or how you've done that and this and that and this and this and blubb. Exchange between friends weights the heaviest in our beloved passion. I got a little sketch to that too:

- The internet would be second i guess. There is so much outthere to read and try at home and so many great miniatures in the internet for inspiration, you would take ages learning such things from yourself. And time is not the best friend today, you know.

In the www you'll find also forums to communicate with other people about your ideas and help each other. This is sometimes like painting with friends. But beware of your mind, don't let it slip into the idea that miniature painting means being inside a forum all day long. Miniature painting happens elsewhere. There are many forums, some about painting, some about gaming, some about both and all in thousands of languages. That is good, so you can see the word about miniature painting spreads, hell yeah!

I'd like to show you some of the forums i know. For sure this is not a complete list of everything, the www is too big to know everything and here is just a little choice of mine, those i used to be active or still am... don't do too many, ok, here you go:

www.das-bemalforum.de
www.coolminiornot.de
www.wamp-forum.de
www.Tabletopwelt.de
www.gw-fanworld.de
www.legio-pictorium.it

Sure there are a billions of others, but i can't show them all. Simply find your own way to your forum of Happy Painting. Believe me this place exists, just be honourful and true in what you do and how you do.


- Often such forums do help finding people near your hometown so you can meet up for some nerd days to paint miniatures or a so called "Painter's meeting". Really great about this is chatting with others, maybe a bit more experienced painters like you are at the moment and you can learn things by watching and seeing them. This is great. I got a little sketch to that:

- Also there are blogs outthere, who can help, but everyone reading here for surely knows what i would try to explain with the next few lines so i stop trying to do so now.

- You can join a club if you got the oppourtunity of one next to your place.

- Painting classes are fine too. It is somehow a mix between painting with friends and learning from an experienced painter. Also you can always learn something new from others, especially at such a workshop where every friendly nerd, even the ultra nerd guy teaching you tries to bring out the best in you. I got a sketch to this too, even two, yeah:

- Online Tutorials are mostly found on forums, blogs or personal other webpages. Tutorials and articles are great, i am not questioning this, but there is some limited learning from them. You can learn and see how others do, but you have to do it on your own for several times to teach yourself the lesson. Sometimes tutorials are not, uhm... easy to interprete as the guy writing it uses words which totally confuses you and you don't know what he means with his strange lyrics. If so, ask the author, that mostly helps. The Miniature painter itself is a very nice being in the most cases and seeing his articles he wrote in blood and sand being questioned shows him that they have been read. No one can write the perfect Tutorial as everyone has different ways of the brush and different experiences to share - that is the beauty about it :)

So, keep an eye out for online articles but don't expect to much of them if you are not trainging your muscles. I got a sketch to this too:

Closing words

Hell yeah, miniature painting is not an easy way. Blood and Sand, Love and Honour shows the path. If you do it from the heart this path is open for you and always remember some are more talented then others and this is simply the way it is... none can change the fortune of birth. Simply enjoy what you are doing, that is the best luck you can have... and music!

Keep on happy painting!
Regards
Roman

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